Truckload Performance in December 2021

Dan Burke • 2 min read • January 11, 2022

What's new in the TL Space?

  • The markets performed as they historically have in December:
  • Volumes dropped right at Christmas time and remained low to the new year.
  • Rejection rates rose slightly towards the end of the month. However, they were still 10% lower than this time in 2020.
  • Although rates are not expected to significantly rise in Q1, we do not project any material reprieve in terms of reduced costs or improved capacity.
Combined OTVI & OTRI November & December

Dry Van: Load To Truck (LTT) & Cost Per Mile (CPM)

  • December rates increased by $.08 compared to November.
  • There’s no indication of relief in terms of volume for Q1 of 2022. Import volume projections will remain extremely high and domestic manufacturing is expected to remain strong.
  • With import volumes remaining strong, we would expect capacity to remain tight and costs to continue to rise for OTR volumes near major import gateway locations. 


Key Takeaway: 

As usual, the month of December slowed as the weeks progressed. Capacity tightened as the holidays approached. We saw a decrease in volume leading into Christmas but capacity fell off at a similar pace as we saw the OTRI remain flat.

Chart to show national average cost per mile- dry van
Top 10 Markets - Dry Van Rejection Rates

Reefer: LTT & CPM

  • The reefer space remains extremely tight in terms of capacity with elevated rates.
  • We do not expect rates or capacity to improve in Q1 of 2022.
Chart showing the national average cost per mile in the reefer mode

Reefer: Outbound Tender Volume (ROTVI) & Outbound Tender Rejection (ROTRI)

  • The Reefer LTT remains significantly elevated vs. both 2020 and 2019. There’s no end in sight in terms of loosened capacity or a regression in rates.
  • Volumes remain elevated and capacity remains tight. As expected, Rejection rates remained high despite a slight softening in overall volume. Drivers are headed home for the holidays and the capacity crunch will remain to start the year. 


Key Takeaway:

Expect higher rejection levels in locations with serve winter weather. Carrier equipment shortages will play a huge factor in the upcoming months. We do not expect rates or capacity to improve to start 2022.

Chart showing the ROTVI and ROTRI, November and December 2021

Flatbed: LTT, CPM and FOTRI

  • Another mode affected by the holidays; we saw a spike in rejection near the end of the month as drivers headed home.
  • We expect the rejection rate to recover in January, but flatbed utilization will continue to remain strong.


Key Takeaway:

We anticipate Flatbed costs and capacity to remain elevated and restricted for the coming months. Construction volumes should remain high (steel, lumber, equipment), the manufacturing sector continues to improve. 

National Flatbed Load to Truck Ratio

Domestic TL Length of Haul Rejections 

This measures the Rejection rate at specific lengths of haul. We saw rates increase for all lengths of haul during the month. 


Key Takeaway:

The “Tweener” lane continues to have the highest Rejection rate by category. Previously, drivers could make the 450+ mile runs in a day. Due to HOS regulations, they are no longer able to do so. Ensure you are providing more than adequate lead time, and ensure appointments are set at both the shipper and receiver.

Length of Haul Rejection Rates - November and December
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Brendan Lawler Joins FreightPlus
October 4, 2022
Innovative managed transportation provider continues to invest in hiring and developing the best talent within the logistics space QUINCY, Mass — FreightPlus, a data-driven managed transportation solutions provider, announced Brendan Lawler has joined as Senior Manager of Strategic Planning and Customer Service. Lawler brings in over seven years of experience leading diverse, cross-functional teams in challenging, chaotic, and ambiguous environments. In his new role, Lawler will own all aspects of planning, optimizing, appointing, tracking and servicing customers’ freight. He looks forward to standardizing the planning and customer service functions within the department and incrementally improving the throughput of the team through process improvement and technology integration. “I am energized by the opportunity to help continue FreightPlus’s growth as a data-driven transportation management solutions provider,” says Lawler. “I’m eager to use my experience in leading teams toward operational excellence to enhance the customized service for our clients. FreightPlus's mission to ‘simplify complex logistics together’ embodies the people-driven culture that I value so deeply. I look forward to joining a company that is team-focused and has a proven track record of transforming ideas into innovative solutions that create sustainable impact.” Lawler previously served as a Captain in the Marine Corps and as Senior Operations Manager within Amazon Transportation Services, where he focused on driving operational excellence and utilizing new technology to drive process improvements. In his tenure, he was responsible for developing and implementing new network-level process improvements for both under-the-roof (UTR) and over-the-road (OTR) operations, as well as spearheading the effort of optimizing the synchronization of warehouse and transportation operations. With revenue and employee count quadrupling over the past five years, FreightPlus was listed no. 184 on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America in 2022. Chief Operating Officer Ben Graeff comments, “I am so excited to welcome Brendan to FreightPlus. Brendan brings a deep background in operational excellence from his time in the Marine Corps and Amazon Transportation. He is a quiet leader that leads by example, lives in the day-to-day details, and is the exact right person to help us scale our operation and customer service teams through our continued growth.” About FreightPlus FreightPlus is an industry provider of data-driven transportation management, offering businesses customized and fully tailored managed transportation solutions in a boutique environment where clients get the individual attention they deserve. FreightPlus combines first class customer service with innovative technology and industry best practices to help mid-size and growing companies work efficiently in the $800B domestic transportation market. Visit FreightPlus.io for more information. ### Media Contact: Courtney Conyers Marketing & Communications cconyers@freightplus.io
August 16, 2022
For the 2nd Time, FreightPlus Appears on the Inc. 5000, Ranking No. 184 on the List of Fastest-growing Privately Held Companies in America FreightPlus recognizes a three-year revenue growth rate of 2,846%  NEW YORK, August 16, 2022 – Today, Inc. revealed that FreightPlus is No. 184 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. “We are honored to be featured on the annual Inc. 5000 list for the second year in a row,” said Stephen Aborn, FreightPlus Chief Executive Officer. “This award and our ranking reflect the continuous dedication from our team to providing our customers with the people, technology and processes to build best-in-class logistics programs. We are thrilled to be recognized as we strive to bring customer-centric and innovative solutions to the world of logistics.” The companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 have not only been successful, but have also demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Among the top 500, the average median three-year revenue growth rate soared to 2,144 percent. Together, those companies added more than 68,394 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000 . The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine, which will be available on August 23. “The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today.” About FreightPlus FreightPlus is an industry provider of data-driven transportation management offering businesses customized and fully tailored managed transportation solutions in a boutique environment where clients get the individual attention they deserve. FreightPlus combines first class customer service with innovative technology and industry practices to help mid-size and growing companies work efficiently in the $800B domestic transportation market. Visit https://www.freightplus.io/ for more information. Media Contact: Courtney Conyers cconyers@freightplus.io
July 26, 2022
Innovative managed transportation provider brings on LTL industry leader to continue to support rapid growth QUINCY, Mass — FreightPlus, a data-driven managed transportation solutions provider, has announced the expansion of their company with the hiring of Curtis Garrett, joining as Senior Vice President of LTL. Garrett will focus on improving carrier relationships and interactions through utilizing technology and strategic processes. With revenue and employee count quadrupling over the past five years, FreightPlus was named the second-fastest growing privately held company in Massachusetts by the Boston Business Journal. FreightPlus was also listed as the 783 rd fastest-growing company on the 2021 Inc 5000 list. CEO Stephen Aborn commented, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Curtis. Expanding our team with his experience is a great step in the right direction for FreightPlus as we continue to look for the most innovative and ambitious thinkers in the logistics space.” Garrett brings fifteen years of LTL experience prior to joining FreightPlus, including eight with ODFL in operations, driving, pricing, yield, and W&I. Since departing from ODFL, he has spent six years on the 3PL, software and consulting side of the industry, recently serving as Vice President of Pricing and then Chief Strategy Officer at Reconex. Garrett is fascinated with technology and is truly a student of the industry. Having overseen hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue on the business profitability side, as well as pricing and carrier relationships and procurement, Garrett is more determined than ever to break down silos and get everyone on the same playing field. “I am beyond excited to join FreightPlus”, said Garrett on his new role. He continued, “from what I have witnessed, this company has all the right parts and pieces – customer obsession, innovation, and grit – to do big things in the freight industry and I could not be more excited to be a part of it.” About FreightPlus FreightPlus is an industry provider of data-driven transportation management offering businesses customized and fully tailored managed transportation solutions in a boutique environment where clients get the individual attention they deserve. FreightPlus combines first-class customer service with innovative technology and industry practices to help mid-size and growing companies work efficiently in the $800B domestic transportation market. Visit https://www.freightplus.io/ for more information. Media Contact: Courtney Conyers cconyers@freightplus.io
FreightPlus Named to Boston Business Journal's Fast 50 List
March 28, 2022
FreightPlus has been named to Boston Business Journal's exclusive 2022 Fast 50 list for the first time.
Ben Graeff Appointed as FreightPlus Chief Operating Officer
March 7, 2022
Innovative managed transportation provider continues to invest in executive team to support the company’s rapid growth. QUINCY, Mass — FreightPlus, a data-driven managed transportation solutions provider, announced Ben Graeff has joined as Chief Operating Officer, the first in company history. Graeff will be responsible for the company’s operational, managerial, and product strategy, as well as driving day to day and quarterly results and innovation in FreightPlus’ next stage of scale and growth. With revenue and employee count quadrupling over the past five years, FreightPlus was named to The Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America in 2021. CEO Stephen Aborn commented, “I am thrilled to welcome Ben to FreightPlus. His natural ability to lead and his experience scaling large businesses at the intersection of technology and operations will be invaluable to our growth story. Every person or partner that works with Ben will be better for it.” Graeff brings over 10 years of experience building technology and businesses at Amazon. Prior to joining FreightPlus, he served as Sr. Manager, Product Management and Data Analytics within Amazon Transportation Services. During his tenure, Graeff was responsible for P&L ownership in Amazon’s consumer retail division, developing new software and customer experiences for Amazon Prime, as well as product development and business results in operations and logistics across the globe. “I am excited to join a company whose mission embodies solving complex problems in partnership with its customers,” said Graeff on his new role. He continued, “Like all great organizations , FreightPlus is powered by its people. I’m eager to join this growing team and blend my experience in building and developing organizations with delivering fast-paced results through people, process and technology. FreightPlus’ commitment to driving long-term partnerships, cost savings and strong service for our customers aligns closely to my core values. I look forward to continuing to build the products, processes, programs and technologies to drive FreightPlus’ future growth as a data-driven transportation management service.” About FreightPlus About FreightPlus FreightPlus is an industry provider of data-driven transportation management offering businesses customized and fully tailored managed transportation solutions in a boutique environment where clients get the individual attention they deserve. FreightPlus combines first-class customer service with innovative technology and industry practices to help mid-size and growing companies work efficiently in the $800B domestic transportation market. Visit https://www.freightplus.io/ for more information. Media Contact: Courtney Conyers cconyers@freightplus.io
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